Antique Porcelain Cat Teapot, China (16944B-TLE) $145
$145.00
This charming antique white glazed porcelain figurine is a cat teapot with a raised paw with removable head for pouring liquid into the vessel and long sinuous tail as a handle to pour liquid from the opening at the end of the paw. The hand painted design is whimsical and colorful with a thin ribbon-like blue collar and a dangling ornamental bow with black accents defining the face, ears, head and paws.
Description
In China and Japan cats are often portrayed as small-teapots that provide individualized tea servings and better retain heat. White porcelain with a clear glaze was often the preferred pottery form for teaware as it was viewed as more elegant. Since Mao (猫), the word for cat, is a homophone for octogenarian, it is a well-known Chinese longevity symbol (shou 壽). Qing dynasty and Chinese-Republic cat-teapots are often portrayed with a raised paw as its spout, a popular motif of a “beckoning cat” like the famous Japanese Maneki Neko widely used in feng shui, especially among Chinese merchants, as a greeting and welcoming gesture to promote and maintain positive energy (chi) and bring good luck and fortune into their store. These cats often have long ribbons (shoudai) around their necks, a homophone symbolizing longevity (shou 壽). They are charming pouring-vessels that will enrich any space, especially a kitchen and their symbolic wishes for a long life and good luck make them appropriate gifts for any occasion such as birthdays and housewarming gifts.. It is in excellent condition with normal minor dark dot-like firing imperfections seen on most white glazed objects and minor scratches from age and its use. There are Chinese characters within a circled seal in the mold on the bottom making it an antique. As with all antique teaware, we advise they be used only for decorative purposes.
Additional information
| Weight | 5 lbs |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 10 × 10 × 10 in |
| Place of Origin | China |
| Date | 1890-1920 |
| Materials and Technique | Porcelain |
| Dimensions (inches) | Ht: 6.25” W: 5.5” D: 3.25” |
| Dimensions (metric) | Ht: 15.87cm W: 13.97cm D:8.26cm |
| Condition | Excellent, fine patina demonstrating age and use |
| Reference Number | 16944B-TLE |
| Shipping Box Size |
